Let Me Guess
by nightblade615
Summary: What happens when an old lawbreaker finds herself in Riften on a pickpocketing spree? She is at a dead end, and a man named Delvin has seen her aptitude for their line of work. She is a spitting image of one of the Guild's main personnel, and is not someone to be trifled with. Brynjolf has taken a notice to her. There is something that caused this scarring, but what could it be?
1. At the End of a Rope

I was in Riften, where many pockets were fresh for the picking. Let me clarify: My name is Breanna, and I'm a 27 year old Nord with thick, braided, red hair, also a thieving prodigy. I've been able to pick pockets since I was five. Never done an honest day's work in my life. I've had an Ebony Dagger that I've had mastered since fourteen. And other than thieving, I've also had a keen knowledge of the Arcane Arts to back me up. Been caught pickpocketing? Not a problem when you have an Ice Spear to finish without a sound.

I had a set of black hooded Destruction Robes that I'd enchanted myself. Always wore them, never slept in the same place twice. But, back to where we were. I was leaning against a pole in the shadows at night, waiting for potentials to show up. Here came that Snow-Shod. I picked him dry, and he walked on like nothing happened. I leaned against the pole, twirling a coin in my fingers.

I looked around, and saw someone likely looking. I grinned, and snuck again. I picked him dry, then snuck back into the shadows. Just before I stood up, I felt someone grab my shoulder. I turned around quickly with a look of slight fear. "Whoa, whoa, easy there, mate." He said with a thick accent. "I was just admiring your work. What 'n all did you get offa 'im?" I grinned, and said "Fellow thief, eh? I got two amethysts, a flawless emerald, a glass dagger, and some Dwarven Arrows."

His eyes grew, and he said "You got all that in one lick? Well done, my friend." – "Had lots of practice. Been picking pockets since six. And, a master mage since fourteen. Had the dagger mastered at twenty-two. And, a good archer. Prefer magic, though." He nodded, and said "Well, my name is Delvin Mallory, milady. I represent an organization known as the Thieves Guild. You'd fit right in, and get very rich in the process. We could really use a set of hands like yours. What do you say?"

"If I can make some quick coin, I'm in. I need a stable place to call home, anyway. Never slept in the same place twice. Heard Riften was crawling with rabble and cutthroats… Perfect place for me." He laughed and said "You and I are going to get along quite nicely." As he threw an arm around me, and went through the Ratway. Set a few Skeevers a blaze, and killed some lowlife hiding outside the door the Ragged Flagon. He opened the door for me, and I walked through. "You're never gonna believe what I plucked offa the street!" He yelled.

"Delvin, this better be good." I heard a man yell. He walked me over there, and he said "You shoulda seen 'er! I hid behind a bush and watched as she picked every person that passed her clean! I watched her take two amethysts, a flawless emerald, a glass dagger, and some Dwarven arrows all in one sitting! The guy just kept walking like nothing happened! She's a master mage, a master dagger, and an archer. She was picking people clean left and right. No one even saw her. She even broke into a few merchant stands. While they were selling!"

I saw a man step out of the shadows, and say "Well, I know Delvin isn't one to lie about things of this matter. My name's Dirge." I nodded and shook his hand. "Breanna." I said shortly. A man with a broom approached me with an outstretched hand. "Vekel the Man. A pleasure to meet you, my lady." Then Thrynn, Rune, and Vipir the Fleet introduced themselves to me. I turned to Delvin, and said "I'm in terrible need of a fence. I've been carrying some of this around for ages." – "Wait, she has the same accent as Brynjolf!" I heard Thrynn say. He grinned and said "I would guess so. The Guild's fence is Tonilia. Be good to her, and she'll make you rich. Tonilia, come over here please!"

She came over and said "Ah, so you're what this whole uproar is about. Alright, show me what you've got." I walked over to a table, and she followed me. I pulled out countless gems, jewelry pieces, clothes, weapons, books and other valuables. Her eyes grew wide, and she looked at me with a look that said "You have _got_ to be kidding me." I saw a man with red hair walk out of a door and say "What's all the fuss about in here?" When he saw the pile of stolen goods, he stopped cold. "You've got a lot of work to do, Tonilia." Vipir said in a teasing tone.

She looked at him confidently and said "On the contrary. I've done this for a long time. Watch this." Then she quickly separated everything into different piles, and counted them up, then made a sum up in her head, and shoved a huge bag of gold in my face. "Ah, a smart one, you are. I can respect that." I turned around and saw the red head staring at me discreetly. I pushed my curls behind my ear, then walked back to Delvin. "She has the same accent as Bryn…" She said.

I saw the man turn slightly red, and look away, but he looked at me again. "Oh yeah, this is Brynjolf. He's one of our biggest assets." Delvin said, pointing to the man that had been staring at me. He smiled nervously, and said "Hi, I'm Brynjolf. But you can call me Bryn. Everyone else does. Unless, that is, you don't want to." As I shook his hand. "No, I like Bryn. It's short and to-the-point." I said with a smile, as I looked into his eyes. He nodded and smiled, and I looked at Delvin, who was looking at Brynjolf with a cocked eyebrow and a sly grin.

"Okay…" Delvin started. "Uh, Tonilia, why don't you take her into the Cistern to get fitted for armor?" – "Alright. Come with me, Breanna." I followed her into the Cistern, and out of sight.

As soon as the door closed, Brynjolf stared at it. Delvin chuckled, and said "So, you've got a thing for little Breanna, eh? Can't say I blame you." Brynjolf turned around with a skeptical look, and said "What?" Delvin smiled and said "Don't play stupid with me. You were stumbling over every word you said, and you were eyeing her like a sweetroll."

Bryn gave it up. Delvin was his best friend, and he couldn't sneak anything past him. He sighed and slapped his hand on his forehead, and said "Oh, Delvin… Be honest with me. Did I make a fool out of myself?" – "Well, I thought so. But she seemed not to notice." Brynjolf plopped down in the chair, and said "I don't know if that's a good thing." Delvin smiled, and sat down across from him, and said "I dunno, but when I talked to her in the square, it was like I was talking straight to you. She's quiet, doesn't care much for talk. She's nice, a top notch thief, and to top it off, she's quite a beauty. She's a full package for you."

Brynjolf blushed, unable to hide it. Delvin laughed and said "It's that bad, eh? Vekel, can you bring us a few pints?" He smiled, poured it out, and said "It's on the house, my friends." He patted Bryn on the shoulder before he went back to cleaning the tankards. Brynjolf picked up the tankard, and just looked at it. "Well, are you gonna drink it?" Delvin asked. Brynjolf looked at him with a white face, and said "I… I don't want it. I feel… Content." Delvin shook his head, and said "You've got it worse than I thought."


	2. A Proposition

I walked into the cistern, and Tonilia grabbed some armor for me. I looked at it and said "This armor is enchanted?" – "Well, yeah. Gives ya a little boost, if you know what I mean." I grinned and said, "I'd like to make a business proposition." – "I'm listening." – "How about when we get new recruits, or anyone needs new armor, you could give me the regular armor, I could have it custom enchanted to fit their needs, and you and I split the profit, minus a bit for the Guild."

She grinned and said "I'm liking you more with every word you say. You've got a deal. We'll have a real racket on that." I shook her hand, and she handed me my plain armor. I took it to the Arcane Enchanter, then enchanted it myself. I put lock picking, sneaking, Destruction, one-handed, and Magicka regeneration enchantments on it. Not too bad. I put it on, then sold my Destruction Robes to Tonilia.

I walked back out, and over to Delvin. "Ah, I see you've been fitted well. It's time for you to meet the boss." He stood up from the table, and said "Bryn, you coming?" He looked at Delvin, and said "Uh, sure. Sure." Then stood up and walked with Delvin and I to the Cistern again. I was silent, as was Brynjolf. We were a lot alike, actually. Once we got in, I saw a man standing near a desk, and leaning over some plans.

We walked over, and I recognized him. "Mercer Frey?" I said in a confused voice. "Breanna?" We looked at each other, and he kissed the back of my hand. "I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again. How have you been?" He asked with a smile. "Oh, I've been just fine. Hard to sell stolen goods to people too straight to buy them." – "You're in our armor. Who brought you?" – "Delvin got me while I was on a pickpocket heist here in the city. He was quite shocked at how much I got off of one man at one time." – "Ah, yes, I remember once you got a silver Emerald necklace, a Dwarven dagger, three flawless amethysts, and a wedding ring off of one person. Heh heh, I'll never forget what he said…" Then we both chimed in. "Did anyone else feel a draft?" As we laughed.

"Well, you don't have to worry about a thing. I was looking forward to the day you'd join up. We need people with skills like yours. Hey, I actually had a job that I was saving for one of the big guys. You wanna take it?" Mercer asked. "Sure." I replied shortly. Delvin put an arm around Mercer, and whispered to him as he walked away. I saw Mercer look back at Brynjolf, who had his hands in his pockets, and was looking at the floor, blushing at how close we were standing (I couldn't move, because then it'd make it look like I didn't like him). I didn't like the awkward presence, so I bumped him with my side, and he chuckled, looking down at me with a smile. I looked back up at him with a smile, and he blushed even redder and rubbed the back of his head as he looked at the wall. I blushed and looked at the ground with a silly grin that matched his.

Mercer looked at the two of us, then smiled at Delvin, finishing with a nod. He straightened his face, then continued talking as they walked back over to us. "Well, now that I think about it… This is really a job meant for two. One person wouldn't be able to do it. Brynjolf, why don't you join our little Breanna? She could use another set of hands." – "Ummm… If you say so, I guess." He replied in a fake nonchalant tone. "Good. It'll give you the chance to get better acquainted with Breanna." I nodded, and said "If you say so, old friend." Then I turned to Brynjolf. "Well, if you will, allow me to grab some arrows and lock picks off of Tonilia. I'm running low."

"Um, okay. Don't take too long." He said reluctantly. "Don't count on it." I said as I strutted out the door. When I closed the door, I saw a small grin on his face. I'd made him smile. Again. My heart fluttered at the shy smile he was giving me.

Brynjolf turned around to face Delvin, and said "You set me up, you bastard!" – "Yeah, I did. I had to, considering you wouldn't say a word to each other unless we locked you in a room together." Delvin said shortly. "I didn't believe you when you first told me, because I've known her for a long time, and she's not one for love. Never has been. But when I saw both of them looking at the away from each other with those grins, I knew it was true. She's shy, Brynjolf. You'll have to give her time. But, I think she has an interest in you, considering how she slipped a little flirt in on her way out. And how she tried to make you smile by bumping into you. It was subtle, but I caught it. And so did you, judging by the grin it gave you." Mercer said.

Brynjolf blushed a deep red, and looked at the floor. Mercer laughed and said "What's the matter, Bryn? Can't take vulnerability? Well neither can she. You two were custom made for each other." – "Aww, you're so cute when you blush, Bryn." Delvin said teasingly. "Oh, come off of it." He said as he heard the door open again. He stood up straight, and tried to look as calm as possible.


	3. Strictly Business

I walked back in, and there stood Brynjolf, looking ready. "Are you ready?" I asked him. "Yep." He responded. Mercer walked us over to his table, where he told us where we were supposed to go. I saluted him, then walked out. We climbed out, and walked out of the city walls. We walked there in complete silence, until we got to Goldenglow. We snuck, and I drew a bow, and he drew his daggers.

I climbed up into a tree a little ways off the island to scope the area. The place was crawling with mercenaries. I looked all the way around, and there were about two on each of the four little lookout posts they had. I felt a strange presence in the back of my mind as I said "I could easily pick them all off from here." Immediately after that, I heard Brynjolf's voice in the back of my mind. "How did I hear that? She's too far away."

My eyes grew as big as quarters, and I thought "How did I hear you?" I was talking directly to him now. I felt his mind go haywire, as I'm sure mine was as well. "I… Can hear your thoughts?" He said to me. "And I can hear yours." I said with the same level of shock. We sat for a moment in stunned silence, and I could feel him deducting, as was I. "Wait, maybe we could use this to our advantage." I thought to him in a tactical tone. "Exactly what I was thinking." He thought back to me.

"Alright, listen." I started. "How about this: There are a bunch of them out on little lookout posts. I could pick them off, and keep us quiet. Then, I'll send you in. Since I have such a good view of the whole place, I'll be able to see others long before they see you, and could warn you before they get too close. You'd be in there in no time. Once you're in front of the door, I'll come up, then follow you in and watch your back. Sound like a good plan?"

I could practically feel him grin. "Oh, this is gonna be fun." He thought enthusiastically. I laughed in my head, and said "Alright, give me about thirty seconds to pick these bastards off." He immediately retorted "Thirty seconds? There's no way in Oblivion." – "Are you willing to make a wager?" I thought to him warningly. He laughed and thought "Damn right I am. I'll put 50 Septims on it." – "You're on. Starting… Now!" I thought aloud.

` I immediately drew an arrow, and shot the first in the chest. I had an arrow in the other's head too fast for him to even turn to his partner. I followed the same pattern, never missing a mark. I came to the last one, and thought "Done." As I looked around to see if I'd caught anyone's attention. Not one person seemed to notice. I grinned to myself, and thought "How long was that?" Knowing he counted. "Thirty-two seconds." He thought with a snarky tone. "You're pulling my leg right now." I thought. "Nope." He thought shortly. "Son of a bitch! I thought I had it…" I thought dramatically.

He laughed aloud, and I could've sworn in may've been out loud too. "I wa-has kidding! You ma-hade it! Ha, ha, ha!" I chuckled, and said "Oh, you're a funny little bastard, you know that?" He laughed even harder at my snarky comment. "Alright, you start making your way to the estate, and I'll keep a bird's-eye view." I said shortly. "Alright. See you on the other side, lass." He said as he went around the building.

He was making his way to a tree, and I saw someone turn in his direction. "Don't move, lad. Don't move." I drew back my bow, and watched the person. There was no one nearby, and he hadn't caught the attention of anyone else. He started walking in Brynjolf's direction, and I shot him down in a split second. "Threat eliminated. You may proceed." – "Yes sir, Commander Sir." He thought in a snarky tone. No matter how hard I tried to hold my thoughts back, I let my thoughts reveal I thought it was funny.

He chuckled, and thought in a teasing tone: "Now lass, it's not smart to try and hide things from someone in your head." – "Shut up." As soon as he said that, I came to the realization that it was a weakness as well as a useful trick. He was **_inside my head._** He could hear my **_every thought_**, even the ones I kept locked up tight. I was vulnerable to him, and that was something I sure as hell was not used to. On instinct, I began to panic.

"He knows… He knows… Oh, Father Sithis, he knows…" I just kept repeating in my head. He can hear my thoughts. He knows my deepest, darkest thoughts. He knows… What happened. But, no one is supposed to know about that. I locked that up a long time ago, never to bring it back up. The images of that night went through my head, of the bandits coming into my home and robbing us blind. I was awoken by the sound of my father's battle cry…


	4. The Scars Came From Here

I pushed myself up in a flash and threw on my mage's cloak. I was thirteen, and was already better at magick than most people three times my age. I coughed as I inhaled, realizing that they'd set our estate ablaze. I flung open the door, only to find a burning plank in my way. I heard my little brother's coughing and wheezing from down the hall. His asthma. Damn it all, if I didn't get to him he'd die. I put up a small frost spell to stop the burning in the hallway. I pushed the beam out of the way, sprinting frantically down the hallway to his aid.

When I arrived in his room, he was passed out cold, breathing tremendously labored. I picked him up and slung him over my shoulders, charging out of the house. A bandit saw me and grabbed my arm. I grabbed his in response and singed his flesh. He cried out in pain, and I looked him in the eyes with a deadly gaze. "Believe me, there's more where that came from if you're foolish enough to try again." He looked at me with horror, as all adults did when I shot them that look. A look that always said "What has possessed a girl this young to be able to behave in such a murderous way?"

I turned and ran to the nearby maple tree, and I nestled Rielkar in one of the nooks. I secured him with a scarf I had tucked away, then jumped down to find my father. Just as I hit the ground, I heard a scream that grinded against my eardrums. A scream that would've brought me satisfaction coming out of the throat of anyone but my mother. A terrified scream of a frail woman faced with certain death. She was gone. I swallowed my emotions, and rooted myself in the now, and what I had to do.

I climbed up the tree with my brother, and examined him. I felt for a pulse, and it was very faint. He was as white as a draugr, and was barely breathing if even at all. I kept a clear head as best as I could, and pulled up my Grand Healing spell. I applied it to his chest, and then blew air back into his tiny body as well as I could. No response from him, nothing but a small grin, and a small muttering of our grand-da. With that, his frail little heart gave out, and I scooped him up into my arms as I kissed his forehead. He'd never even done anything to anyone. What in Oblivion had he done to deserve this?

I saw the bandit that I'd burnt meet up with a stronger one, and say "Well, did you take him down?" He nodded, still gasping, and said "Aye, that we did. He sure put up one heck of a fight. He died with no fear, though. I'll give him that much. Fool should've been more worried for his life." It hit me. My father. They'd killed my father. I had no family, no relatives, nowhere to turn. These bastards had taken everything that was important to me in a matter of minutes.

I felt a fiery pit of rage well from within me, and I was ready to kill every person on the face of Nirn. I could've taken on the hordes of Oblivion. Just as the bigger one said "By the Nine, lad, what happened to your arm?!" I jumped out of the tree on all fours, still looking at the ground. They jumped and looked at me strangely, but the man I burned gasped. I slowly stood up, the flames of my home reflecting in my eyes. With a blank expression, I said "Might I ask, just what was it you and your herd were searching for?"

The burned one turned as white as a sheet, while the other one just snorted an arrogant response. "Coin and jewels, what else? And, apparently a very pretty young lass." I didn't even flinch, and I looked him straight in the eyes with a stare of death. His eyes grew slightly, and I said in a flat tone, "Hmm. Was it worth losing your life?" He had just enough time to get a quizzical look on his face, and I'd shot thousands of volts of electricity surging through both of them.

I looked into their eyes, and watched as the life left their bodies, and they dropped to the ground. Hearing the commotion the rest of his clan came around to face me. They looked to their boss, and then to me. I pulled up two giant Fireballs, and sent them flying. They were engulfed in towering flames, and as they screamed, I turned and sent a blizzard to my home, making the flames subside. I turned back to the burning people, and froze them with a spell that took out all of my remaining magicka. A spell for ice that would melt next to never.

They were frozen with flesh melting off their bones, and looks of despair. I looked upon them, then I turned to look at what was left of my house. I picked up a piece of the ice cold rubble, and looked at it for a moment before sticking it in my pouch. I stood at the door of the estate, and went to reach for the handle, but in the end decided not to go in. I stood there helplessly staring at the door, wondering where I would go from there.

I was pulled abruptly out of my reverie by someone placing a hand on my shoulder. I felt that this person meant me no harm, not that I cared at that point. I didn't turn around to face him, but he spoke with a tone that implied a smile. "That, my dear, was quite a spectacle to behold. Where did you learn to cast spells like that?" I turned around to face him, and he looked to be a man in his early forties, and was clad in dark robes with a deep crimson, and a black hand on the front. He was looking down at me with a look of amazement and fulfillment, but also a hint of the way my father used to look at me.

I looked him in the eyes and said "I found out I had a natural ability for it, then studied at the College where I surpassed those three or four times my age in magicka." He smiled down at me, then I looked past him, sensing a strange presence. I saw the blue specter of a man looking over the ice sculpture I'd made. He seemed to be admiring it, by the way he dared not touch it. I remembered this man. I'd seen portraits of him somewhere before…

Then it hit me. Arch-Mage Victor Valtieri took me into his study on frequent occasions. He claimed that this was a legendary Speaker for the Dark Brotherhood from the days of the Oblivion Crisis. He spun me a tale of deception and betrayal, and how his father and mother, Vicente and Victoria Valtieri, were among those who had to be slain for the Purification of the Cheydinhal Sanctuary. How this man was a great mind, and never made a move without the counsel of his Silencer and wife, who was one of the best mages to grace the face of Cyrodiil. How she had deep red hair and green eyes just like mine, and a glorious name to match: Chrysia.

When the Victor saw me, he grasped my arm, and said "What is your surname, child?" I looked him in the eye, and his eyes widened as they met mine. "I don't have one. I was adopted." He said "My dear, sweet child. Please come with me to my quarters." As we fast-paced our way up the winding staircase, I heard him muttering, but I could only pick up bits of it, like "Could she be..." and "Father Sithis, if she is…" When we got up to his room, he locked the door behind him.

He pulled a sheet off the wall, and a portrait of a dark, glorious looking man was on the wall. I looked at him strangely, trying to recall him. "Do you know who this man is, child?" I squinted as I looked at it closely, and said "I feel like I know him, but I can't imagine where from." He looked at me closely, and said "My dear, this is going to sound rather strange what I'm about to ask you, but if my suspicions are correct, I could tell you about your heritage."

That caught my attention. I'd always wanted to know about my heritage, as I had no knowledge of it whatsoever. I shot him a look that said "Yes." He grinned and said "Silence. Speaking with a look rather than words. Just like them. I believe that you are a descendant of this man. But to be sure, I must have some of your blood. I will compare it to his." I nodded, and he pulled a vial out of his pocket. I cut my hand with my steel dagger, then poured it in. He took the vial, and practically ran over to rummage through his cabinets.

When he found the old vial, he went over to the alchemy lab. I was very familiar with the art of blood comparison, so when my blood mixed perfectly with his, I knew something was going to happen. I watched as our blood turned from a deep crimson to a pitch black. Strangely, I wasn't afraid. I stared into it, in all its glorious darkness, and felt content. He looked down at me and said "It is an honor, Breanna Lachance." I looked up at him, and he led me through my genealogy.

Thus, I started a walk over to the ghost, and he seemed not to notice me approaching him. Lost in my handiwork, I suppose. He seemed to be vaguely comparing it to someone else's in his mind. Probably Chrysia's. When I got over to him, I stopped and looked up at the back of his head. "Lucien? Lucien Lachance?" He perked up at the way I said his name, and turned around to meet me. When he looked down at me, his eyes widened, and his lips parted in disbelief. I grinned up at him as the man shrouded in black came up behind me.

We simply looked into each other's eyes, speaking without speaking. That's what Victor had meant by "Silence". He stood there looking into my eyes, hearing my every thought. He knew I was his multiple-greats-granddaughter, and he could read me like a book. I was thinking "I thought all my family members were dead, but now here he is." I simply stared at him, and he picked up my hand and kissed it. When he saw the stubborn look of "I'm fine, don't fret for me.", he looked at me as if he'd seen that look a thousand times. He pulled me inward by my arm, and wrapped me in his embrace.

I welcomed it, and he spoke for the first time. "My dear, dear child. You have no reason to be afraid anymore. I am here. I will take you to a family where you will be loved and protected, no matter what. You are a Lachance, Breanna. You are a specially bred assassin." I stood there in his embrace thinking about the idea of being an assassin. I thought about the jolt of adrenaline I got from killing, and how I could freeze a grown man's blood with a look (and the amusement it caused me to do so).

I pushed myself out of his chest to look up at him with a devilish grin, and I said "All this fluff is nice, but when do I get to kill something?" He tried to keep a straight face, he really did… But he threw his head back and laughed aloud at my little comment, giving me a smile of satisfaction. He looked down and said "That's my girl. Shall we take our leave, Festus?" The old man was smiling, and said "With a Lachance prodigy who can cast spells like this, with that demeanor and enthusiasm, and is only thirteen? You're damn right. We're getting her back to the sanctuary, posthaste."

Lucien wrapped an arm around my shoulder, and we started a walk to Falkreath. After about twenty minutes, I yawned completely beaten from the magicka exhaustion. I felt my grandfather's arm move down as he went to pick me up. I was somewhat shocked at first, but I felt a comfort in his arms that I hadn't even felt with my father. I could feel my relation to him just in the way he held himself, and the way he spoke. I snuggled into him and wrapped my arms around his neck. After a moment, I posed the question: "So, do I call you grandfather or brother?" He smiled as he gave a reply, attempting to mask his love for me. "Whatever you like, my dear." I fell asleep in moments, with the sound of Festus saying "You're going soft, Lachance." He merely shushed the old man, and adjusted me in his arms. Thus began my life as an assassin.


	5. Tale of the Scarlet Fox

I was pulled out of my flashback by the feeling of Brynjolf putting his hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him, and was instantly surrounded in his arms. He held me close to him, and I mashed my face into his shoulder. "It's alright lass. They're gone. I'm here to protect you. You aren't alone like before." I was remembering the helplessness I felt when slaughtering the Penitus Oculatus with my grandfather, and the scream of pain I let out when I saw Festus, who was my best friend and excellent mentor, nailed to the post by arrows.

I remembered flinging open the door, and seeing the entire Sanctuary ablaze. Arnbjorn was dead, Veezara was dead, and Babette's flesh was melting off from the flames. I walked in to the living quarters, granddad looking all around to keep threats away from me. I saw Gabriella lying dead across the table, and Nazir fighting an Oculatus agent. I started a frantic run up to him, and just before I got up there to help him fight the agent off, an arrow was loosed, crushing his skull. I turned, and there was a man standing in the hallway holding a bow and looking rather proud of himself.

Lucien snarled at the man, then launched himself at Nazir's initial attacker. He knew that the archer was mine. My eyes lit on fire, and I bared my teeth like a wild beast as I jumped from the top floor all the way down on top of him, and sent hundreds of thousands of volts of electricity flowing through his body. He fell to the ground, his body smoking and steaming. I took in a deep breath, and pushed a massive blizzard through the sanctuary, quelling the flames.

After a moment, I felt his hand grab my wrist. "Come, my dear!" He started with a look of panic. "If the Night Mother is harmed, the Brotherhood is ruined." I took in a deep breath, realizing that I no longer felt her presence in my mind. He dragged me along behind him, then dropped to his knees when he saw her smoldering corpse lying on the floor. As tears filled both our eyes, I dropped to the floor in a ball. I cried out at the top of my lungs, because my second, my true family, been taken away from me.

I looked up at the ceiling and said "No! Sithis damn it all to the Void! Not again! I REFUSE to accept this! My only family has been taken away! My Mother is gone, and so is the Brotherhood! In the name of Sithis, there will not be one more Oculatus agent to stand when I'm done!" I collapsed next to my granddad, and we both embraced each other tightly. He was sobbing to match mine, and his eyes turned a black to match the Void.

"Our Lady…" He said in-between sobs. "She is weeping for her children this day. There truly is no other way to restore the Brotherhood. It's… It's over, Breanna. Straight from her own mouth with the authority of the Dread Father." He collapsed into hysterical sobbing as he said "Our family is dead. We are all that's left. We will be united in the Void, the last of Sithis's children to live there forevermore." I started to cry into him with a ferocity, feeling nothing but sorrow and rage.

After we'd cried our fill, we stood up to walk out of the sanctuary for the last time. Just as we walked into the hallway to leave, we heard the grunting of a woman. I ran into the room, thinking it was an Oculatus agent. I stopped cold and slumped to her side yelling "Astrid! By Sithis, what happened?" She looked at me with a look of defeat. "I heard your cries. We… We were defeated weren't we?" I nodded my head and said "Yes. The others are dead, and the Night Mother's body is burnt beyond repair."

"Sithis damn it all… This is all my fault. If I hadn't had trusted Maro this wouldn't have happened. I just wanted everything to go back to the way it was…" After she said that one sentence, I knew she was the traitor. In a flash, I drew my dagger and plunged it into her skull. I stood up, and looked Lucien in the eyes before we walked out. When we got out into the daylight, we were met by a band of Oculatus. "Did you enjoy our little show?" Maro said, his sword brandished arrogantly.

At that moment, such a rage overtook me, and I felt like something was hitching itself to me. Something cold, dark, infinite, and a rage as towering as mine. I felt a dark voice in my mind. "They destroyed my children. We will annihilate them, my dear daughter." Sithis, the Dread Father himself. I felt my eyes turn a black to match the Void, and I let loose an invisible power that sent all of Maro's surrounding agents to the ground, dead as Uriel Septim VII.

Maro's face turned to fear as he looked upon me with shock. I took a step forward, and in a blink I was in front of him, my fingers surrounding his throat. I gripped it as hard as I could, lifting him off of the ground. I felt the sorrow and fury of the Dread Father as he wept angrily, giving me the strength to lift Maro off the ground one-handed. I looked up at him with black, emotionless eyes, as he tried to claw my hand away. After a few moments of struggling, I watched as his eyes rolled back into his head and I let him fall to the ground.

I felt the Dread Father embrace my soul tightly, and he said "I swear, I will do what I can to bring back the Brotherhood. But, I don't know what I can do…" Then I felt him look deep into my spirit. "But believe me when I say this: I will do everything I can to help rebuild our family. But, there may not be a way. I love you, my dear child. You are a cut above the others. I must take my leave of you now, but I will always be here when you need me." Then I felt his spirit depart.

Bryn squeezed me tighter, sensing that I was not quite all there, that I was still lost in my own twisted memories. I was pulled out of my mind, and locked it back up on the way out. As I stood there in his embrace, I felt a warm sense of security come over me. It was somewhat like what I felt with granddad, but at the same time, entirely different. I knew he wasn't here to pry or get me to tell him about myself. He was exactly like me. Quiet, but he knows when it's time to be there to hold someone.

I wrapped my arms around him and held him as tight as I could. I was so familiar with him after being in his mind, and he was familiar with me as well. I was shaking allover with rage, fear, and sorrow. "I… I was so scared, Brynjolf." I said shakily. "I know, lass." He said softly. "They're gone now. You don't have to worry anymore. I'm here."


End file.
